THUNDER BAY — City police have already put 600 kilometres on two electric bikes they're using to make the rounds in areas of the city that a patrol car can't easily access.
Members of the police service's Community Oriented Response and Engagement (CORE) Unit showcased the new equipment at a media event Wednesday in a parking lot at Chapples Park.
Thunder Bay Police Service Const. Tim Lampi said the e-bikes went into service in June.
"The idea of the project was kind of the old beat officer concept, but being more mobile and being able to get to places like waterways, rivers where patrol cars might not get to, and to be able to help people more quickly," he said.
Ultimately, he said a patrol car or ambulance might need to be dispatched in some cases, but having an officer on a bike at the scene immediately can make an important difference.
"Speed, efficiency, it's improving on that."
Lampi said the Neebing River is a good example of places where e-bike patrols can be extremely useful.
"It leads along Chapples. There's some good trails along there, and there are vulnerable people hanging out on the riverbanks. It hits up different places, trouble areas, that normal patrol doesn't have a chance to get to."
Unless they've already been assigned to higher-priority calls, two officers usually take the e-bikes out regularly Tuesdays through Thursdays.
"We've been able to reach a lot of places, and people love it. You know, public engagement, just talking about everything," Lampi said. "We go to Spence Court and do walk-throughs, lock the bikes up. They actually have a room for us. Andras Court, we do walk-throughs there."
The patrols also include the various business improvement areas.
Lampi was involved in one incident Tuesday where a resident of the Riverview Drive neighbourhood complained about someone camping on private property.
He said he approached the individual, talked to him, and got the person to relocate.
"You know, everybody thinks the police are just there to arrest them or take them away or whatever. We want to engage and talk to them first and then, you know, see if we can help them in some way... We actually have time to maybe, you know, talk to that person...refer them to resources and stuff like that."
On other occasions, interactions with the public might just be a chat about a hockey game or something else of common interest, the kind of engagement that he said is always well-received.
"People just love it, seeing police out and helping people, not just arresting and stuff like that."
The bikes are equipped with police lights, and kits that include First Aid supplies and Narcan, a medication to reverse opioid overdoses.
Lampi believes there's potential to expand the e-bike patrols, and that he understands two more may be ordered in the near future.
They can travel at a maximum speed of 32 kilometres per hour on public trails, but an off-road mode increases that to 45 kilometres per hour.
